Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Health Care IT, golden child of the stimulus

Doctors and hospitals typically have been reluctant consumers. New technology often can be expensive and time-consuming to use. And the lack of specifics about government standards and patient privacy rules has discouraged some from moving forward, said David Wain, partner at the McLean law firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman.

Most health IT systems were not developed for the small practice groups where most doctors work. A poorly implemented system can be both very costly and make medical practice more difficult. A gold rush mentality will inevitably bring in developers who are not as smart as they think they are. Groups such as the Healthcare Technology Network of Greater Washington have an important role in education and professional development. The industry will also need to set standards.